A fighting display from Bromsgrove Sporting saw them come away from Heather with all 3 points on a damp, miserable Saturday afternoon. Despite not being at their best for almost the entire game, it was a deserved win, one which keeps them in touch with the league's top teams
A worrying tradition for Sporting of late has been their lax defending at either end of matches, and this continued with Heather taking the lead after 2 minutes, when build up play down the left wing was not snuffed out and the ball fell to the lively Troy Warren who's shot was wonderfully saved by the returning Jake Bedford in goal. He could do nothing as the ball flew up into the air and onto the unmarked head of Jamie Towers who put the ball into an empty goal.
After this Sporting began to settle and when defender Craig Jones won a ball just inside the opposition half, nothing looked on. However, he managed to find Gary Hay who powered past the challenges of two Heather defenders before confidently slotting the ball into the bottom corner.
Sporting were now in the ascendancy and chances fell to Reece Hewitt, who blazed a shot just over the crossbar after a wonderful cross-field ball from Simon Fitter, and then to Gary Hay who should have done better when a Danny Ludlow free-kick found him unmarked at the far post. Unfortunately he was unable to turn the ball home.
Heather midfielder Jamie Towers had a couple more chances before half time but 2-1 to the visitors was probably a fair reflection of the game.
In the second half Heather were probably the better side. Despite this, the Sporting defence looked fairly secure and Bedford wasn't really troubled throughout. Mitch Woodbine hit a fierce shot over the bar before Wallen and Towers combined yet again down the left, with the former poking the ball just past the post.
As the second half progressed the game became stretched and some reckless challenges began to fly in and a needless yellow card for Fitter, after he offered the referee's assistant some choice words.
There was an unpleasant incident involving new signing and Rovers old-boy Danny Lennon, who when clear through on goal pulled up and looked in some pain as he was substituted.
As the game reached its conclusion Heather pushed forward but still failed to create any clear-cut chances. It was in fact Sporting who had the best chance of the last few minutes with a Ludlow free-kick just passing over the bar.
As the final whistle sounded Sporting supporters breathed a sigh of relief. A game they should have won more comfortably almost slipped from their grasp. It certainly bodes well when a team can play at far less than their potential and still grind out a win - which is what Sporting did today. They will play far better and lose.
Sporting: Jake Bedford, Chris Duggan, Chris Sockett, Simon Fitter, Craig Jones, Ryan Mahon, Will Tibbetts, Reece Hewitt, Gary Hay (Joszef Jakab), Sam Wills (Danny Lennon, Scott Smith), Danny Ludlow.
Subs not used: Dave Almond, Peter Christmas
Scorers: Gary Hay (10 mins), Reece Hewitt (25 mins)
Yellow: Simon Fitter
Heather: Daniel Chatfield, Simon Hicks, Joshua McPherson, Leigh Phillips, Manasse Salumu, James Slack, Jamie Towers (Jake Healey), Troy Wallen (Phil Wheildon), Luke Wilson, Mitchell Woodbine, George Howard.
Subs unused: Jordan Burrows, Thomas Nolan, Grant Ryder.
Scorer: Jamie Towers (2 mins)
Referee: Mr D Barrett, assistants: Mr M Chester, Mr A Jeffrey.
Crowd: 70 |